Lantana and Mondo Grass

Lantana (Verbenaceae) and Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) are other easy care, no fuss plants that makes fantastic showings all summer - and the Mondo Grass is fabulous during the winter - it's evergreen and never loses its beauty!

I have totally forgotten what the variety of this lavender Lantana is . . .I've  had it several years and at the time it was given to me, I wasn't keeping a data base of my plants . . .waaawaaa.

This particular variety doesn't get very tall, but it spreads far and wide! Some of these plants are 5' wide. Of course, each spring as it emerges I have to dig some out and toss into the woods . .or share with gardening friends. The deer also hate this plant and according to experts ALL parts of it are poisonous if ingested. Personally, I haven't seen any ill effects with my dogs or cats   .. but then I haven't seen them trying to ingest it either. One of the cats crawls up under it during the heat of summer but doesn't try to eat it.

One friend who lives in CO has had tremendous problems with deer,  so she took some of the Lantana and has had no problem (with deer) since. Of course, being in CO I have to send her some each year.

It's hardy from Zones 8 through 11, but, like the Pineapple Sage we talked about yesterday, it  will thrive in Zone 7 provided it's in a protected area. It takes the heat and drought without missing a beat. It is deciduous - which means it will die back after the first frost. I just use my hedge trimmers - cut it to the ground - and wait for next spring!

'Experts' recommend very little feeding for the Lantana; I find that mine do much better with a good helping of fertilizer when they emerge and another small dosage when they begin to bloom. As a general fertilizer, I use 13-13-13 on most plants . ..

Someone I know and love will appreciate this photo!


 The Mondo Grass you see on the left in the photo below was a gift from one of my special sisters, Patsy. She was moving from her home in Clayton County and gave me enough for a start. It has multiplied rapidly . .and I use it around the stepping stones in my Memory Garden. A friend from N. Ga added to my supply . .I now have enough to cover the earth! I have it in another garden and I'll share photos of it in a later post. Mondo Grass is another 'no care - no nonsense' plant. It LOVES abuse and is a 'walk on me' plant, but you'd be shocked at the people, even after I tell them how it loves abuse, that will walk around it!!! Oh, well - I appreciate their concern anyway!

It has little, bright blue berries . . almost insignificant unless you're looking for them, in the late winter and spring. The only thing I don't like about the Mondo Grass is that it propagates by underground runners and you have to keep on top of it during the growing season. But,  I loooove looking out my upstairs windows and seeing this beautiful show during the cold, drab, days of winter.

Below are native, Old-fashion Lantana.- the kind you see growing on banks and at the edge of the woods. But it's one of my favorites. Even though 'they' say it's poisonous, butterflies and bees flock to it endlessly! These particular Lantanas were given to me by a gardening friend from Alabama and it gets about 5' tall! Covered in blooms from early summer until frost! It also develops a seed that birds love . .again, I question the poisonousness (good word??) of this plant. The pink one growing beside it is also easy care and prolific!

This photo was taken a few years back and both plantes were over 5'  tall by the end of summer!



This is a closeup of the 'pink' one on the left. As you can see, the outer petals are yellow - but take a backkseat to the pink as the plant matures.